Patton's tracks in the Mojave Desert, USA: An ecological legacy

Recovery of soil properties from World War II-era military training exercises in the Mojave Desert was measured approximately, 55 rears following disturbance. Tracks front military vehicles were still risible, particularly in areas of desert pavement. Soil penetrability was much lower in risible tracks than outside the tracks. Soils in tracks had fewer rocks in the top 10 cm of the soil profile than adjacent untracked soils. Larger particles ( > 4.8 mm) formed a moderately well-developed pavement outside of the tracks, while smaller, loose particles (less than or equal to4.8 mm) dominated the surface of the tracks. The time required to restore the desert pavement is likely to he measured in centuries. Based on biomass estimates, the cyanobacterial component of biological soil crusts had recovered 46 65% in tracks, compared to outside the tracks. Overall recovery of lichen cover hers been much slower. Under plant canopies, corer of Collema tenax was not significantly different between areas inside and outside the tracks; however, recovery of Canapyrenium squamulosum was only 36%. In plant interspaces with less favorable moisture and temperature conditions, C. tenax showed a 6% recovery and C. squamulosum a 3% recovery. Assuming recover, of the biological soil crust is linear, and complete only when the most sensitive species (C. squamulosum) has fully recovered in the most limiting microhabitats (plant into-spaces), it may require almost two millennia for full recovery of these areas.